Crunch Mode!

[Silverwulf]

So, let's kick start some life back into this forum! Just got a Stiletto again, a Series II Deuce. I've had a few before, had a Series I (later Hollywood Modded), as well as an Ace. It's been a while, so I'm poking around and trying to remember what I like on it. I know I've never been one to use "Fluid Drive" too much. It's noisier, the sub-lows are bumped up a little much for me, and the mids are lowered. If I want that type of sound, I'll use my Recto. For me, I enjoy "Crunch" and "Tite Gain" much more, "Crunch" in particular...

I know it may sound odd to like using "Crunch" for high gain sounds when there's 2 higher gain modes on the amp, but I like the reduced sub-low bass frequencies, and the stripped down gain makes it much more articulate. In fact, it reminds me a lot of using a JCM 800, even has about the same amount of gain. I love to toss my Maxon OD808 in front of it with the drive on about 12 Noon and the volume maxed on "Crunch" mode with the gain dimed to dial in those 80's JCM 800 tones for some stuff.

So, who else here is a fan of some good ole crunch?

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I use crunch on channel 1, and tite gain on channel 2. Love it...

 

[E_R]

I love my Ace Head, Chan 2,Crunch, gain barely past noon, tube rec. through a 2x12.
I bought mine from you (Silverwulf) and never looked back!
My thinking was nothing would top my DC-5, I was way wrong.

 

[Silverwulf]

That Ace head you have now is a great head unit. I used it on a gig in mid 2007 on Channel 2 "Crunch" and it just sliced right through the mix. With my OD808 boosting, it nearly nailed the "Facelift" album tone on the AIC cover we did.

 

[Silverwulf]

And by the way, I run onto people here I've sold amps to all the time. There's about 13,000 members here, and I think I've sold amps to about 7,000 of them...

 

[TTSTWO]

I've mentioned before, I've never plugged into a Series II. On my I, I go old school pushing the clean modes with a distortion or my new OCD. Crunch and Tite are a bit high end for what I play, they are however good for an old type AC/DC Marshally sound, I rarely use them. The OCD gives me more of a smooth od sound that I prefer, been using it mainly in lo-peak mode. Hi-peak mode is cool as well. I suppose if I ever try a series II I'll end up buying it, finances permitting! :wink:

 

[Silverwulf]

I've mentioned before, I've never plugged into a Series II. On my I, I go old school pushing the clean modes with a distortion or my new OCD. Crunch and Tite are a bit high end for what I play, they are however good for an old type AC/DC Marshally sound, I rarely use them. The OCD gives me more of a smooth od sound that I prefer, been using it mainly in lo-peak mode. Hi-peak mode is cool as well. I suppose if I ever try a series II I'll end up buying it, finances permitting! :wink:

Honestly, for what you do, the Series I probably gets the job done just as well as a Series II for a lot less cash.

 

[rocksalt7]

On my Ace I use Fat Clean on ch.1 and Tite Gain on ch.2...been that way for a couple of years now; pretty stable. Now I'm trying to readjust somewhat to the 4x12 cab I just got. Tite gain is killer so far, haven't changed a thing! My ch 1 cleans don't sound right just yet...but I'll get there!! That's part of the fun. :mrgreen:

I did play around w/ the crunch flavor on ch 1 yesterday....not working so far. I'll probably just leave it on fat clean and maybe use a pedal for lower gain sounds.

I love the way this amp sounds with the 4x12. My 2x12 sounded great, but this beast is even better! I probably should have taken this step long ago. :wink:

 

[BlairRich]

I love my series I.
I can get heavy sounds for metallica type stuff on tite gain and I use a MXR overdrive to overdrive the front end for leads and have more than enough gain for that. I have heard the series II has more gain but honestly when I just mic the amp dry on a 4 track flat response and record my sound I actually back the gain down to let the tones flow.
I have the Hollywood mod info and considered doing it but I'm afraid I'll lose the versitility of this amp.
Any thoughts???

 

[dmain]

This is the one mode I have not played with much. Was fiddling around after reading this and was getting some really strange tones when adding the OCD or boost pedal and strange for me as an indie guy works like battery dieing coolness. I'll be spending some time with this mode for sure.

 

[Silverwulf]

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this...this is from 2007, recorded with a camera in the crowd, so all you can hear is the drunkards singing terribly along to "Man in the Box"...can't even hear the real vocalist, haha. Sound quality is poor, but this is a Stiletto Ace head on "Crunch" mode. Actually this is E_R's Ace head now!

http://www.filedropper.com/ahmitb

 

[Riff Blister]

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this...this is from 2007, recorded with a camera in the crowd, so all you can hear is the drunkards singing terribly along to "Man in the Box"...can't even hear the real vocalist, haha. Sound quality is poor, but this is a Stiletto Ace head on "Crunch" mode. Actually this is E_R's Ace head now!

http://www.filedropper.com/ahmitb

Silverwulf,
That was fun! There's nothing more enjoyable for a band than a good rowdy crowd to play in front of. It really makes me miss gigging.
I'm a big fan of the Crunch mode. It fits me perfectly as I like to play classic 70s hard rock.
I have found that I like that mode on Bold and Diodes. Beautiful!!! 8)

Mark

 

[TTSTWO]

I played Crunch and Tite on my 1 Trident tonight. I honestly think i need to check pre-amp tubes on this thing. Power and recto tubes are fine, I can see them, I've not busted this head open to see how the pre-amp tubes are burning. What I hear is not too good. All tubes were supposedly "new" when I bought in 09 and that's ok, but I think this head has more potential with new pre tubes? It's hard too describe sound but I kicked the gain down to 10 -9 and it sounds not good. When gain is up further it's louder and crappier sounding. Maybe it's my ears. For the price I paid, I'm for the most part happy, no failures. I would like for it to sound better using no drive effects at all. If that's not in the cards, I'm fine using pedals to get the sound I'm after....Time to pull the bench out, get the gloves on and check it out.... More later.

 

[dmain]

While I use an ace I get plenty of great gain sounds without using a pedal so I'm thinking it sounds like it might be time to re-tube from what your describing and what I've read on here. I use pedals as an another "channel" or to get a different sound. When I got my ace everything except for the cleans sounded great then I re-tubed and wow what a difference.

 

[E_R]

I say it over and over...the Ace head fukin' rocks!
I've had a few offers for it but only one I considered a serious offer (had cash in hand).
I use a overdrive pedal (love pedal kanji 9) with it but never for boost, just on the clean channel for the odd old Rush tune.
I'm not sure what cocktail of preamp tubes Siverwulf put in it but it's great, I'm dreading the day when one goes and I don't know what the hell it is (most are not marked/labeled).


........drunks, could there be a good live show without them? LOL.

 

[Silverwulf]

I'm not sure what cocktail of preamp tubes Silverwulf put in it but it's great, I'm dreading the day when one goes and I don't know what the hell it is (most are not marked/labeled).

Haha, you know...I have tons and tons of tubes, and that's a mix of current and NOS varieties. I usually select whatever tubes sound best for the head at the time, and I always tend to use matched tubes, so all of those preamp tubes would be the same brand/type. I don't mix and match so much because then I'm not sure which is giving off the tone I like, so I go with the "can't have enough of a good thing" philosophy. Long story short, if you could figure out what one of those tubes are, chances are they're all the same, at least in the gain stages. I don't remember what I had in there, it's been a while. Could be anything from standard issue newer models to NOS ones dating back to the 70's, haha.

 

[Paulie]

Here's a stage I in Crunch mode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9nQbM1UY64

 

[axwielding1]

Love the crunch channel, bold and diodes. Never thought to put something in front of it, but will now TS9 the crap out of it, and see what happens. Maybe even the OD250 grey box. 8)

 

[axwielding1]

Threw the TS9 (analogman mod) in front of the Crunch channel and didn't like the mid bump. The grey OD250 was MUCH smoother and sounded stellar! Gigged saturday night and used tite clean with the gain about 2:00, Crunch on the lead channel, and the OD250 for leads (mostly). Got many compliments on tone and cut through the mix well.